21. UNSEEN TRUTH
The person she saw was Kiara. Aarvi's eyes widened in disbelief, her breath hitched as she saw Kiara was walking with a man, their fingers intertwined. At first, Aarvi tried to reason with herself, maybe he was just a friend, maybe even a brother. But no... they were far too close for that.
And then came the moment that shattered her completely. The man leaned down and pressed a soft peck on Kiara's lips. Aarvi's hand flew to her mouth, a gasp almost escaped. He... he kissed her.
What stunned her even more was Kiara's reaction or rather, the lack of it. She behaved as if nothing unusual had happened, like this was routine, like it was normal.
But Kiara... wasn't she supposed to love Vivan?
Aarvi's heart pounded so loudly she was sure people around could hear it.
Her knees felt weak, her breath stuck in her throat.
This can't be real... Kiara was standing there, smiling casually as if nothing was wrong, her fingers intertwined with that man's like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The soft peck she'd witnessed replayed in her mind on a loop, each second stabbing her deeper. But she... she loves Vivan, doesn't she?
Then why-why would she- Aarvi pressed her trembling hand harder against her mouth, eyes burning with disbelief.
For a fleeting moment, she wanted to look away, to convince herself she hadn't seen it right. But Kiara's laughter, echoed in the air, killing that hope in an instant.
Aarvi's chest tightened. How would Vivan react... if he saw this?
Without wasting a second, Aarvi rushed toward the food court, her heartbeat loud in her ears. She spotted Vivan sitting there and almost stumbled as she reached him.
"V... Vivan, I want to tell n..no, to show you something," she blurted out, her words trembling.
Vivan frowned, confused. "What happened?"
"You just come," she insisted, grabbing his hand without waiting for an answer. He let her pull him, though clearly annoyed, as she dragged him to the spot where she had seen Kiara with that man.
But when they reached, the place was empty. No sign of Kiara. No sign of the stranger.
Vivan raised a brow. "Show what you wanted to show?" His tone was casual, almost bored.
Aarvi's eyes darted everywhere, her chest tightening when she found nothing. Finally, she swallowed hard and decided to say it straight. "K... Kiara," she whispered, instantly catching Vivan's attention. His expression sharpened at the mention of her name.
"She was... with someone. Some guy. They were too close."
Vivan stared at her for a beat before chuckling dryly, making Aarvi's stomach twist. "This is what you dragged me for? So what if she was with a guy? He must be her friend."
"No, Vivan, you're not understanding-" Aarvi tried again, desperately, but stopped before mentioning the kiss. She didn't want to crush his heart like that.
But Vivan's patience was thinning. His voice dropped dangerously low, jaw tight, sensing what she is trying to portray. "Aarvi... enough. We'll talk later about this."
She could see his anger brewing, but she thought he truly wasn't understanding her. "Vivan, please, listen. I saw with my own-"
"ENOUGH, Aarvi!" His voice rose, a sharp whisper that cut through the noise of the crowd. People nearby turned their heads, but he didn't care. His temper was hanging by a thread.
Still, Aarvi didn't stop. Her voice shook. "Vivan, the guy he... he pecked her lips-"
Before she could finish, Vivan's hand shot out, gripping her wrist so tightly she hissed in pain. Her eyes widened in shock as he leaned closer, his face dark, eyes burning into hers.
"NOT. THIS." His words came out through clenched teeth.
Aarvi's breath hitched. His anger wasn't just visible, it was suffocating. He released her hand suddenly, as if realizing how hard he'd held her, but his gaze didn't soften.
"You don't get to point fingers at her," he said, his tone sharp. "Not a word more, Aarvi. Do you understand?"
Her lips parted, but no sound came out. Tears stung her eyes, but she held them back, staring at him in disbelief. She wasn't lying. She had seen it with her own eyes.
Yet here he was, refusing to believe her, ready to tear her apart for just speaking Kiara's name.
Vivan turned away, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He was trying to calm down, but inside, he was was burning in anger.
And Aarvi... she stood frozen, her chest aching, wondering how long she could keep being punished for telling the truth.
And without any word Vivan stormed out, leaving her standing alone.
"Vivan-" Aarvi called, but he didn't turn back. Her heart sank. Hurriedly, she gathered all the shopping bags and made her way to the basement parking.
She scanned the lot, trying to spot his car, but it was nowhere in sight. Her chest tightened with panic, "h..he left me alon-" before she could complete. She heard a loud voice of horn, making her flinch. The silence of the parking lot made it feel even louder.
She spun around and saw him, sitting in the car, eyes fixed on her, silently directing her to come over.
Aarvi hurried toward him, grabbing the bags as tightly as she could. She placed them on the back seat and moved to the passenger side.
Without a word, she opened the door and settled in, her hands still trembling.
Once inside, she stole a glance at him. Vivan's gaze was fixed straight ahead, his expressions were unreadable. When the engine roared to life, she hesitated before whispering, "Pl... please drive slow."
Her mind went back to the last time she had asked him that, when she had told her mother everything about Kiara and their relationship. Her mother had told Vivan not to hurt her, but he had driven recklessly in his anger, ignoring her pleas.
Vivan didn't respond this time, and Aarvi didn't press. She chose to stay silent, staring out the window, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
Then she saw her.
Kiara smiling and waving at her.
Aarvi froze. Her eyes went wide. Her heart hammered in her chest. The world outside seemed to stop for a second. How could she be so calm? So casual?
Her gaze snapped back to Vivan. He was still focused on the road, jaw tight, shoulders stiff. He hadn't noticed her.
Aarvi's grip on her pallu tightened. Her mind raced. Should she tell him? Point her out? But the memory of his anger, his "NOT THIS" made her lips stay sealed.
So she stayed silent, letting the image of Kiara's smiling face burn itself into her mind.
Her chest ached. Her hands trembled. As a single thought screamed louder than anything else, If Vivan ever finds out the truth... it won't just break his trust. It will break him completely.
~?~